Timing mechanism for watch and like movements



F eb. 19, 1935.

F. D. URIE- TIMING MECHANISM FOR WATCH AND LIKE MOVEMENTS Filed June 16,1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. I F. UR|E TIMING MECHANISM FOR WATCH LIKEMOVEMENTS Filed June 16, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented, Feb. 19, 1935PATENT OFFICE TIMTNG MECHANISM FOR WATCH mm mm MovEMENrs Frank D. Urie,Elgin, m, assignor to Elgin National Watch Company, Chicago, 11]., acorporation of Illinois Application June 16, 1932, Serial No. 617,646

1 Claim. (01. 73-51) This invention relates to improvements in apparatusfor timing watch and like movements to determine the error of suchmovements.

One of the features of the present invention is I the provision of meansresponsive to the movement of the mechanism being timed, together withdevices for counting the number of such movements, and means forenergizing the counting devices for operation during a period of timede- 10 termined by a standard timing device, so that the error of theparticular movement being inspected produces an operation of thecounting device which departs from the operation thereof which isproduced by a mechanism operating in synchronism with the standardtiming device.

Another feature of the present invention is the provision of aphoto-electrical responsive device which operates according to thepassage of light through the watch movement, this light 20 beingobstructed by a moving part of the watch mechanism being inspected, inconjunction with a timing device and a counter, whereby the number ofimpulses resulting from the operation of the photoelectricallyresponsive device is registered for a standard predetermined timewhereby to indicate the error of the mechanism being inspected.

With these and other objects in view as will appear in the course of thefollowing specification and claim, an illustrative form of practicingthe invention is set forth on the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the connection of the severalelements in this illustrative form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a mechanism for maintaining the timingcircuit closed for a predetermined time interval Figure 3 is a plan viewof the same.

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the illuminator andphoto-sensitive element structures.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the movement holder.

Figure 6 is a perspective viewof the movement holder.

In these drawings, a source of light 10 and a condensing lens 11 projectlight upon a minute aperture 12 located, for example, in the pillarplate of a watch opposite the path of movement of the teeth of theescape wheel W thereof: it is found in practice that a hole .012 inchesin diameter is satisfactory. The other parts of the watch in alinementwith the aperture are open to permit the passage of light through thisaperture so that light is obstructed. or permitted to pass according tothe prevailing position of the escape wheel teeth. The watch movement 13is supported in a holder having an aperture 14 in its back in alinementwith a,corresponding hole in the shield 15 (Fig. 4) surrounding a photo-6 electrically responsive element P which is illustrated as being of thepotassium type. A battery 16 is connected by conductor 1'7 with asolenoid 18 of a relay and thence by conductor 19 to one electrode ofthe photo-electric cell 1?. The other 10 electrode of the cell P isconnected by conductor 20 to the control electrode or grid 21 of anamplifier tube A. The cathode of the amplifier tube A is energized froma battery 22 through conductors 23, and a return conductor 24 isconnected 16 to the other terminal of battery 16. A branch conductor 25connects the anode of the amplifier tube A to the conductor 19, so thatthe output current of the amplifier tube A will pass through thesolenoid 18 of the relay. A biasing battery 26 is con- 50 nected at itsterminals to a potentiometer 27 which at one end is connected to thebranch conductor 24, and has an intermediate tap connection to aconductor 28 having a control resistor 29 in series therein, and thus tothe con- 85 ductor 20.

Conductors 30 from a source of 110 volt alternating current, forexample, are connected to an electrically operating counting device C,to contacts 31 closable upon energization of the relay solenoid 18, andby conductor 32 to an insulated contact 33 carried by a rocker arm 34 ofa timing mechanism which will be described in detail hereinafter, andthe current may thence pass to a fixed contact 35 and thus back to themains. Con- 35 ductors are connected to a source of current impulses ofstandardized time interval, as for example, one impulse per second.These impulses energize the solenoid 41 and close contacts 42 of thetime impulse relay 41, 42. When thisrelay is closed, current may flowfrom a part of battery 22 by conductor 43, over contacts 42, byconductor 44, to the fixed contact 45 and the open pushbutton 46 (beinginterrupted at these points), while a further tentative circuit existsfrom the movable contact 47 and the other contact of the push button 46,by conductor 48, the stepper solenoid 49, conductor 50, and oneenergizing battery conductor 23 back to the energizing battery 22.

In construction (Figs. 2 and 3), the stepper solenoid winding 49 causesreciprocation of the rocker bar carrying a stepper pawl 56 on its end:for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 57 which hasoppositely directed cam pieces 58, 59 on its faces, for engagement withthe contact rocker bars 34, 34' which at their oppasses to thephoto-sensitive cell P and current posite ends the insulated contacts33, 47. The flows from battery 16 by conductor 17, relay rocker arms 34,34" are pivotally mounted on a winding 18, conductor 19, through thecell P, to standard 60, and asimilar standard 61 insulatedly establish acharging potential upon the grid 21 supports the fixed contacts 35, 45.A spring 62 of amplifier tube A with respect to its cathode. draws therocker arms to produce a normal clo- Current may now fiow in the usualway through sure of the aforesaid contacts. A retaining pawl theamplifier tube A from battery 16 by con- 63 prevents retrograte movementof the ratchet ductors 24, 23 and passing to the anode of ampli- 57,while the pivotal mounting of the stepper pawl fier tube A and thence byconductors 25, 19, re- 56 on arm 55 and the spring 64 permit the upwardlay winding 18, and conductor 17 back to the batreturn movement of thestepper arm 55 under tery 16. The energization of the relay winding 'thelatter in such position that the action of spring 65 when the solenoidwinding 49 is deenergized. The threaded rod 66 passing through arm 55has an adjustable nut 67 to limit the movement of the pawl 56.

The source of illumination 10 is preferably enclosed in a light-tightshield or housing 15- which extends to support the condensing lens 11(Fig. 4). The photo-electric element P has its base and 'the usualcontacts mounted in a socket 71 (Fig. 4) and the housing 15 closes itagainst the penetration of light save through the watch movement 13. Themovement holder (Figs. 4 and 5) has a back wall closed save for theopening 14, and has an open supporting frame 72, 73, 74 at the frontinto which the watch movement may be slid downwardly, the frame member74 being slotted (Figs. 5 and 6) to receive the stem 8 of the watchmovement and to reveal the opening 12 when the opening 12 is oppositethehole 14, in which position the watch movement is held by its engagementwith the frame members 72, 73 and by the lateral pressure of a spring 75located inside the frame piece 74.

In operation, with the counting device at a definite intial position,and with the source of light 10 energized, the cam pieces 58, 59 arelocated between the rocker arms 34, 34" and hold the contacts 33-35 and47-45 are open. The regular time impulses coming by conductors 40periodically close the relay contacts 42, but without any action uponthe system. A watch movement is inserted into the holder frames 72, 73,74, and the push-button 46 is depressed. The time impulses cause theclosing of contacts 42 as before, and current now flows from battery 22by conductor 43, contacts 42, conductor 44, push-button The cam pieces58, 59 pass from between the rocker arms 34, 34* so that the spring 62causes closing of the contacts 33-35 and 47-45. Normally, this closureof the contacts occurs at the first impulse after the push-button 46 isdepressed. The closure of contacts 47-45 short circuits the push button46 so that it may be released without affecting the continued operationof the apparatus. The closure of contacts 33-35 tentatively establishesa circuit from one supply conductor 30 through contacts 33-35, conductor32, relay contacts 31, and back through electrically operated counter Cto the other conductor 30.

As the escape wheel, in this illustration of a watch movement, movespast the apertures 12, 14,

each successive tooth momentarily shuts off the light. During eachinterval between the passage of such teeth, the illumination from source10 18 causes a closing of the contacts 31, so that a counting operationis performed in the counter C by current flowing from themain-conductors 30. At the succeeding darkening of the cell P, thepotential of the grid 21 in amplifier tube A changes and the fiow ofcurrent is inhibited, so

Thus during the operation, the counter mechanism C is operatingaccording to the number of passages of such teeth while the ratchet 57is be-' ing stepped around synchronously with the stand- I ard timeimpulses arriving on conductors 40. The number of teeth on the ratchetwheel is proportioned according to the time interval during which it isdesired to count the number of teeth.passing the apertures 12, 12. Atthe end of a revolution of the ratchet wheel 57, the cams 58, 59 engagethe rocker arms 34, 34 and immediately break the contacts 33-35 and47-45 whereby to interrupt the circuit through the counter C and alsothe circuit to the stepper solenoid winding 49. The ratchet wheel 57thus remains at a standstill with the earns 58, 59 in the initialposition, ready for a new operation when the pushbutton is depressedagain.

The attendant now observes the reading of the counter C and determinestherefrom the error of the particular watch movement. The movement isthen adjusted by proper weighting of the balance wheel, for example, anda further test is made. In this way the errors are compensated untilthe'watch registers standard time.

It will be noted that when the watch movement is removed from theholder, the device is ready for the insertion of a new watch movement,and hence little time is'lost in the exchange and restarting of theapparatus.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the form ofconstruction shown, but that many modifications may be made within thescope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by letters Patent, is:

An apparatus for counting the operations of a watch and like movementhaving an escape wheel with a periodically moving part and which is openopposite the escape wheel, including a photosensitive cell, alight-tight housing surrounding said cell and having an aperturetherein, a holder carried by. the housing for supporting a watchmovement in predetermined position with the path of the moving part ofthe escape wheel opposite said aperture, means for directing a ray oflight through said movement and aperture and through the path of saidmoving part onto said cell, an electromagnetically operable countingmechanism, a ratchet wheel having cam means thereon, a solenoid andmeans moved thereby for advancing the ratchet wheel step by step, asource of standard time impulses, switch means positive- 1y moved toopen position B said cam means at a predetermined position of saidratchet wheel, and circuit means extending through said switch meansconnecting said cell to said counting mech- 5 anism and said source tosaid solenoid so that the circuits delivering energizing current to saidsolenoid and mechanism are opened at said switch means to terminate acounting operation, and means for connecting said source to saidsolenoid separately from said switch means for initiating a countingoperation.

FRANK D. URIE.

